Breen back to work following Ruler on Ice's Belmont score
It was back to business Sunday morning for New Jersey-based trainer Kelly Breen, who shocked Saturday's Belmont S. (G1) with 24-1 long shot RULER ON ICE (Roman Ruler), his first career Grade 1 victory.
Breen, 42, had four horses entered on Sunday's Monmouth Park card, and was also dealing with an injury to one of his exercise riders during training hours.
"So much of it is racing, and so much of it is back to reality," said Breen, who shipped into Belmont Park shortly before 9 a.m. (EDT) Saturday morning and left around 8 p.m., less than 90 minutes after Ruler on Ice sailed through the slop to win the 143rd Belmont S. by three-quarters of a length for owners George and Lori Hall.
"I had a horse flip on one of our riders this morning, and she might have broken her hip," Breen said. "We've got four horses in today at Monmouth. It's back to reality. No time to waste; just jump right back in."
Wearing blinkers for the first time, Ruler on Ice stayed close to the pace set by Preakness S. (G1) winner Shackleford (Forestry) in the Belmont before jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. began to launch his bid entering the stretch. They passed the eighth-pole in front and dug in determinedly to hold off Stay Thirsty (Bernardini), running 1 1/2 miles in 2:30 4/5 on a sloppy, sealed track. |
"Everything is great. The horse is acting great," Breen said. "I'm
shocked to say this morning that he looks as if he didn't even run. I'd
have to think that's a pretty good sign."
It was the third win in seven lifetime starts for Ruler on Ice, who pushed
his career bankroll to $766,500. Two of those victories have come on sloppy
tracks, including a maiden triumph at Delaware Park last October.
"I don't think anybody could put into words or make any calculations for what helped him or what hurt anybody else," Breen said. "That's racing, and that's why they run the races. I've been saying that since I've been in the business. If it wasn't, every 4-5 shot would just win. You've got to be in it to win it, and I was more than happy to be in it."
Breen said the victory was made more satisfying because it came for the Halls, who hired him as their private trainer in 2007, and that Ruler on Ice had to overcome his own immaturity and a minor illness after running second in the Federico Tesio S. at Pimlico on May 7.
"I was talking to Jose Valdivia's agent, and I said to him, 'What a day for him to make a turnaround,'" Breen said. "It was perfect timing."
Breen was uncertain where or when Ruler on Ice would run next. The horse has competed over seven different tracks in as many starts, and became only the second gelding to win the Belmont, the last and longest leg of the Triple Crown, following Crème Fraiche in 1985. |
"I really don't know," Breen said. "The people over there in New York were so
gracious and everything. Right away, George (Hall) said he'd love to see this
horse running in the (August 27) Travers ([G1] at Saratoga). We'll take it one
day at a time and see how he is and how he's acting and how everything comes
about. When he's ready, that's when we'll run him again."
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